As I was scrolling through my Facebook feed a post about ‘Push Presents’ caught my eye. What on earth is a Push Present? The term sounded unpleasant and invoked images of being shoved off a bridge!

What is a Push Present?

The reality is far more pleasant than being pushed off something! A Push Present is a gift presented to a new mother by the father of the child to mark the occasion of giving birth. The present is usually given just before or after the birth or even in the delivery room during labour.

I did not even know such a present existed! It is a craze that is gaining steam in America and seems to be catching on around the world. Will it become a tradition and make it’s way to little old New Zealand?

After 9 months of pregnancy we all know the best gift you can receive is meeting and holding your child for the first time. But it might also be nice to receive a separate little memento too!

What do you buy as a Push Present?

Jewellery is a very common theme for the Push Present as it can be personalised and is an item that can have great sentimental value. Lockets, Baby themed Pandora charms, engraved or stamped pieces all rank highly. It has even been suggested that the Push Present phenomenon was created by the jewellery industry to increase sales.

However, there are no hard and fast rules on what a Push Present should be. It is usually something that has special meaning to the new parents and does not have a minimum or maximum spend involved.

Some other popular gift ideas are family vacations, a luxurious feeding chair, a camera or electronic device to take photos of the new arrival, slippers or comfy clothing, massage or pampering vouchers, or a lovely bunch of flowers.

Backlash

As with any trend, there is backlash from some regarding it as unnecessary spending or putting materialistic value on a natural miracle. Some families are feeling pressured into participating in this trend when they can’t really afford to. This can be due to partner guilts or simply trying to fit in with their antenatal crowd!

Whatever your take on the push present, it seems America has found another opportunity for gifts to be given! Whether you choose to participate or not, the push present phenomenon is here and likely to stick around!

What do you think about Push Presents? Let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page!

Gemma is a kiwi Mum of one and is the Editor for The Baby View. She also works with preschool children, loves cooking, loves sunshine, loves chocolate and loses countless hours at a time looking at cute baby pictures on Instagram!

7 Comments on Push Present – What the heck is that?!

A push present? Never heard of it! It is a lovely gesture as it can be something for the new mum to treasure forever to mark such a special time. However, I think the timing could be a little better. If hubby tried to give me a present while I was giving birth it possibility would not have been met with as much enthusiasm as it should be!

My husband bought me a push present for our first child – a Boh Runga Miro feather necklace. The big feather represents me as a mum and the smaller feather represents Bubs. Needless to say, it’s really special to me and I don’t take it off!